The proposal has sparked frustration among Dedman School of Law students, faculty and alumni, who say the move will isolate the school from the rest of campus.
A proposal to move Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law off the main campus and into a new building across the U.S. 75 freeway is stirring frustration among students, faculty and alumni, who say they weren’t consulted.
In an interview with The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday, SMU President Jay Hartzell said the school is considering a plan to move the law quad, which currently sits in the northwest corner of campus, to East Campus.
The proposed move would be part of a larger development of the stretch of land from SMU Boulevard to Fondren Drive, which SMU owns, just north of The Beeman Hotel and the SMU/Mockingbird DART station. Some of that space is currently occupied by SMU and leased out to businesses, including Cafe Brazil.
The proposal involves constructing six new buildings, including a law school and graduate housing, Hartzell said. The other buildings would house a “research park and technology center,” akin to those at Georgia Tech University or Stanford University, that bring students and companies together.
Read more
